Nutmeg-grater.



No. 774,217. PATENTED NOV. 8, 1904. J. T. WELKE.

NUTMEG GRATBR.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 20, 1903..

N0 MODEL.

lfiorne? 8.

Patented November 8, 1904.

PATENT @Trrcn.

JOHN T. WVELKE, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

NUTlVIEG-GRATER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 774,217, dated November8, 1904. Application filed July 20, 1903. Serial No- 166,216. (NomodeL)To (LIZ whom, zit ntay concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN T. VVELKE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Milwaukee, county of Milwaukee, and State of VVisconsin,have invented new and useful Improvements in Nutmeg-Graters, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in nutmeg-graters.

The object of my invention is to provide a convenient, simple, andefficient device for grating nutmegs which may be conveniently operatedby one hand of the user.

The construction of my device is explained by' reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a top view. Fig. 2represents a longitudinal section drawn on line a: of Fig. 1. Fig. 3represents a top view of a modified form of construction in which therespective operating-arms of the grater are formed integrally from asingle piece of sheet metal or other resilient material instead of beingpivotally connected together, as shown in Fig. 1.

Like parts are identified by the same reference-letters throughout theseveral views.

My nutmeg-grater comprises an operatingarm A, to which the grater-plateB is rigidly attached at one end, a grater-plate B, operating-arm C, towhich the nutmeg-receptacle D is attached, receptacle D, bearing-plateE, by which the nutmeg F is held in contact with the grater-plate B,spring or resilient arm G, and pivotal bolt or pin H. The arms A andgrater-plate B may be formed integrally from a single piece of metal,while the arms C and receptacle 1) are also formed from a single pieceof sheet metal, which parts are first cut from a fiat sheet, when theyare then bent in the required shape shown. This being done said arms Aand B are in the preferred form shown in Fig. 1, connected together bythe pivotal bolt or pin H.

In the modified forrn shown in Fig. 3 the arms A and C, grater-plate B,and receptacle 1) are formed integrally from a single piece of sheetmetal, which is first cut and then bent into the required shape.(Indicated in Fig. 3.)

The bearing-plate is retained in contact with the nutmeg by theresilient arm G, whichis rigidly connected at one end to the arm C,while'its free end is connected with the plate E, said arm G being sobent that it will be forced down against the nutmeg of its ownelasticity, while it will yield sufficiently to permit the bearing-plateE to be withdrawn from the receptacle D when desirous to place thenutmeg therein.

It will be understood that in the modified form the arms A and C will bethrown apart by the resilient action of the connecting-loop or centralportion I. Thus when grating the nutmeg it is necessary simply for theoperator to open and close his hands upon the respective arms A and C,said arms being brought toward each other by the hand of the operator,while they are thrown apart of their own elasticity by the action of theconnecting-loop or central portion 1.

In the preferred form of grater shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the arms A and Care thrown apart by the recoil of the resilient arms G and J, the arm Jbeing adapted to bear against the arm A, while the arm Gr bearselastically against the operating-arm C and also serves to hold saidbearing-plate E in'con tact with the nutmeg. The grater-plate B isprovided with a roughened upper surface which contacts with the nutmegas it is moved backward and forward in a circular course beneath it,while said plate is retained in con: tact with and in close proximity tothe lower end of the receptacle D by plate-retaining arms K K.

In the modified form shown in Fig. 3 the plate-retaining arm G ispreferably secured to the arm C, as indicated in such figure, by beingwound one or more times around the laterally-projecting lug L, havingits fixed end inserted through aperture formed in said arm C. Said armsG may, however, be soldered or otherwise secured to the operatingarm C,as may be found most convenient.

In the preferred form the arm A is provided with parallelconnecting-lugs M M, while the arm C is provided with a similar set ofconnecting-lugs N N, said lugs M and N being retained in contact, asshown in Fig. 2,v

by the retaining bolt or pin H.

IOO

It will be understood that in the preferred form shown in Figs. 1 and 2the resilient arms G and J are retained in place by the pin or bolt H,around which pin or bolt they are wound one or more times, as indicatedin Fig. 2, when they diverge outwardly and bear against theoperating-arms G and A, as shown in Fig. 1.

The resilient arm G is preferably connected with the actuating-arm C bybeing wound around the laterally-projecting lug L, as indicated in Figs.1 and 3. Thus it will boobvious that by the construction shown 1 amenabled to provide a convenient and simple device for grating nutmegswhich maybe op-' crated by one hand alone and which owing to itspeculiar construction may be formed of a minimum number of parts.

Having thus described my invention, what 1 claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a nutmeg-grater, the combination of two radial operating-armspivotal] y connected together at one end by a retaining-bolt; a springcomprising bifurcated arms interposed between and adapted to bearoutwardly against said operating-arms; a receptacle rigidly connected atone end to the free end of one of said arms; a grater-plate rigidlyconnected to the free end of the other arm; means for yieldinglyretaining a nutmeg in contact with the grater-plate; said plate beingadapted as the free ends of said. radial arms are compressed andreleased to move in a circular course beneath said receptacle,substantially as set forth.

2. A nutmeg-grater comprising two operating-arms pivotally connectedtogether at one end by a retaining-bolt; a resilient spring comprisingbifurcated arms adapted to bear yieldingly against respectiveoperating-arms, said spring being centrally connected with saidarm-retaining bolt while its diverging arms bear respectively againstthe opposing surfaces of said operating-arms and adapted to throw saidoperating-arms apart when released from the grasp of the operator, oneof said arms being provided with the laterallyprojecting grater-platewhile the opposite arm is provided with a nutmeg-receptacle arranged atright angles to the face of said graterplate; a bearing-plate locatedwithin said receptacle and retained in yielding contact with the nutmegby one of the arms of said actuating-spring, all substantially as, andfor the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

JOHN T. ELKE.

Witnesses:

J As. B. ERWIN, (J. L. Ronson.

